Saturday 31 October 2026Compiled from published reports. Every claim links to its source.

Ireland Crime

Every case followed from the first report to the sentence, or to where the reporting stopped.

Case No. 15237Demanding money with menace; assault causing harm; making a threat to kill or cause serious harm · Co. Waterford · 24 Oct 2023

Three men sentenced at Kilkenny Circuit Court for demanding money with menace

Three men, Mariusz Mikarej, Kevin Botezatu and Joao Pedro Correia O'Shea, were linked to incidents in the Ferrybank area and at a housing estate in County Waterford on 24 and 25 October 2023, involving a man and a woman. Money was demanded from the male injured party over a drugs debt, he was assaulted, and a woman was put into a car against her will and had her phone taken. Gardaí took statements from both injured parties and arrested and questioned all three men. The three men pleaded guilty at Kilkenny Circuit Court to demanding money with menace and other offences, and Judge Jonathan Dunphy ordered that all sentences run concurrently. The sentences were reported on 12 December 2024: Mikarej received three years and four months with the final 16 months suspended for demanding money with menace, Botezatu received a 16-month sentence with the final six months suspended for making a threat to kill or cause serious harm, and O'Shea received a two-year sentence fully suspended for two years for demanding money with menace.

  1. Reportednot reported
  2. Arrestednot reported
  3. Chargednot reported
  4. In courtnot reported
  5. Verdictnot reported
  6. Sentenced11 Dec
reportedhappened, not reportedlatest stagenot yet

Key facts

consolidated from all reports
What happened
Three men pleaded guilty to demanding money with menace and other offences involving two injured parties.
Where
The first incident took place in the Ferrybank area.
When
  • A separate incident took place on 24 October 2023 at a housing estate.
  • The main incident took place on 25 October 2023.
Cause
Money was demanded from the male injured party over a drugs debt.
Other details
  • In the first incident the car was crashed and the male injured party was assaulted on the ground.
  • In the second incident a woman was put into a car against her will, driven around Ferrybank, and her phone was taken.
Investigation
Gardaí took statements from both injured parties and arrested and questioned all three men.
Charges
  • Mariusz Mikarej pleaded guilty to assault causing harm and to demanding money with menace.
  • Kevin Botezatu pleaded guilty to making a threat to kill or cause serious harm.
  • Joao Pedro Correia O'Shea pleaded guilty to demanding money with menace.
In court
  • Victim impact statements were handed into court for both injured parties.
  • Judge Jonathan Dunphy ordered at Kilkenny Circuit Court that all sentences run concurrently.
Sentence
Mariusz Mikarej was sentenced to two years in prison with the final 12 months suspended for two years for assault causing harm, and to three years and four months with the final 16 months suspended for demanding money with menace.
13 statements extracted from the articles
  • whereThe first incident took place in the Ferrybank area. (kilkennypeople.ie)
  • whenA separate incident took place on 24 October 2023 at a housing estate. (kilkennypeople.ie)
  • whenThe main incident took place on 25 October 2023. (kilkennypeople.ie)
  • causeMoney was demanded from the male injured party over a drugs debt. (kilkennypeople.ie)
  • investigationGardaí took statements from both injured parties and arrested and questioned all three accused men. (kilkennypeople.ie)
  • courtThree men pleaded guilty to demanding money with menace and other offences and were sentenced at Kilkenny Circuit Court. (kilkennypeople.ie)
  • courtJudge Jonathan Dunphy ordered that all the sentences are to run concurrently. (kilkennypeople.ie)
  • sentenceMariusz Mikarej was sentenced to two years in prison with the final 12 months suspended for two years, and to three years and four months with the final 16 months suspended for demanding money with menace. (kilkennypeople.ie)
  • sentenceKevin Botezatu was handed a 16 month suspended sentence, with the final six months suspended, for making a threat to kill or cause serious harm. (kilkennypeople.ie)
  • sentenceJoao Pedro Correia O’Shea was handed a two year prison sentence, fully suspended for two years, for demanding money with menace. (kilkennypeople.ie)
  • otherIn the first incident the car was crashed and the male injured party was assaulted on the ground. (kilkennypeople.ie)
  • otherIn the second incident a woman was put into a car against her will, driven around Ferrybank, and her phone was taken. (kilkennypeople.ie)
  • otherVictim impact statements were handed into court for both injured parties. (kilkennypeople.ie)

The reporting

newest first
  1. 11 Dec2024
    Sentencedkilkennypeople.ie, first report
    Kilkenny Court: Three men sentenced for demanding money with menace

    Reports the sentences handed down to all three men, the court's concurrent-sentence order, and the details of two separate incidents on 24 and 25 October 2023, which are not covered by any existing case.

    convicted, Mariusz Mikarej, male, named, non-irish (judged from name)Mariusz Mikarejconvicted, Kevin Botezatu, male, named, non-irish (judged from name)Kevin Botezatuconvicted, Joao Pedro Correia O'Shea, male, named, non-irish (judged from name)Joao Pedro Correia O'Sheavictim, malevictim, female